Tying the Knot NASCAR Style at MIS

Sunday afternoon at Victory Lane, the champion of the Pure Michigan 400 will celebrate the ending of a successful race at Michigan International Speedway (MIS).

Earlier this summer at the Quicken Loans 400, Victory Lane was the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of Kimberlee Kent and Brice Swanson, who became the first couple to ever tie the knot on Victory Lane at MIS.

A day bfore the Quicken Loans 400 in June, long after Joey Logano claimed the Nationwide Series event and after a practice session in preparation for Sunday’s event, the couple made their way to Victory Lane. MIS President Roger Curtis, who became ordained for the wedding, married the couple with a unique play on words that could only be done during a marriage at a race track.

Instead of the traditional “I now pronounce you husband and wife,” Curtis closed with “I now pronounce you co-crew chiefs.”

If you haven’t heard the story by now, Kent asked Curtis via Twitter in April if the couple could get married at MIS. A short time later, Kent received the response she was hoping for. The dream became a reality Saturday.

While a few rain drops came down just prior to the wedding getting underway, it didn’t seem to bother the newlyweds.

“It’s kind of crazy how everything happened,” Swanson said about a half hour before the wedding got underway. “We’re so excited and happy that Roger is letting us get married here.”

Prior to the start of the wedding while Kent was still in the back room getting ready, I presented Swanson with a gift basket on behalf of Quicken Loans. Swanson was very appreciative of not only the gifts, but getting to share the unique experience with so many people.

“We’ve just been telling everyone we run into to come to the wedding,” Swanson said. “It’s something that’s never been done before on Victory Lane so it makes it that much more special.”

To prove Swanson’s point, a short time after I met the groom, I began talking with a guy named Mike who was sitting close to me as we waited to get the heads up to go outside for the wedding. As Twitter helped the couple arrange to have the wedding at MIS, the social network also got Mike an invite to the wedding.

Honestly folks, I can’t make this stuff up. Here’s the story in Mike’s words:

“I read the story about them getting married and how they contacted Roger Curtis on Twitter. I ended up sending a tweet to Brice that I heard their story and that I’d be traveling from Chicago to MIS for the race. I just told him congratulations on the wedding. A short time later, he tweeted me an invite to the wedding and here I am. I met both of them last night and now, here I am, at their wedding.”

The wedding reception was set to take place in the campground area in the evening.

“We’re excited to celebrate with everyone,” Swanson said. “It should be a great time.”

Nine races remain before the start of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Ryan Newman currently sits in 18th-place, trailing the 10th and final guaranteed spot by 31 points. Can he make a move up the standings at Daytona International Speedway?

Quicken Loans is doubling down on NASCAR for the 2013 season. After our initial commitment of 9 races in 2012 with Stewart-Haas Racing, Ryan Newman and the #39 crew, the Quicken Loans team today announced an 18-race partnership for the 2013 season.

For most of Saturday night’s race at Kansas Speedway, Ryan Newman flirted with a top-10 finish. With 29 laps to go, Ryan made one last attempt to squeak into the top 10, stopping for gas, two right-side tires and a chassis adjustment. He narrowly missed out on the top 10, finishing 11th, although he managed to move up to 8th in points. Check out the rest of the details from Richard Childress Racing!